Mechanical pitching and batting device for baseball games



I. N. JACOBS ET AL March 16, 1948.

MECHANICAL PITCHIN AND BATTING DEVICE FOR BASEBALL GAMES Filed Nov. 12,1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l 3nvcutors I lnvnv N Jacobs Henberf C Jones March16, 1948. JACOBS r AL 2,437,745

MECHANICAL PITCHING. AND BATTING DEVICE FOR BASEBALL GAMES Filed Nov.12, 1946 I s Shee ts-Sheet 2 w g lu Juncntoxs lr' vin N. Jacobs '81;Herber'f C. Jones Gttornegs March 16, 1948. 1. N. JACOBS ET AL.2,437,745-

MECHANICAL PITCHING AND BATTING DEVICE FOR BASEBALL GAMES Filed Nov. 12,1946' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lhmentors In vm N. Jacobs 9 Herber'f 6. JonesGttornegs Patented Mar. '16, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.437,!45MEo AmoALri'rom G Ann amine. DEVICE FOR BASEBALL GAMES Irvin N; Jacobs,Kansas City, Mo., and Herbert G; J ones; Easton; Kans. ApplicationNovember 12, 1946, Serial Nb. 709,298

ing and which result in scores corresponding to the scores of awell-played ball game; to provide a common actuator for individuallycocking the pitching and batting mechanisms and which will operate tocock one of the mechanisms should the other mechanism remain in cockedposition"; to provide a backstop mechanism for automatically returningthe balls which are ejected by the pitching mechanism and missed by thebatting mechanism as in the case of a ball or strike; and to provide aplaying held in association with the pitching and batting mechanisms forscoring the plays when the ball is struck by the bat of the battingmechanism.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, we haveprovided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustratedin the accompanying drawing wherein:

7 Claims. (01. 273-439) Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a game deviceembodying the features of the present invention, a part of the playingfield being broken away to better illustrate the mechanism coveredthereby.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 illustratingthe ejection ofa ball by the pitching mechanism and striking thereof bythe batting mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the backstop or ball-catching mechanism.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective View or the keys for actuating thepitching and batting mechanisms and the lever for cooking the mechanismspreparatory to setting up a pitch.

Fig. 5 is a section through the tripping k'y' housing on the line 5-5 ofFig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a section through the tripping key housing on the line 61-6 ofFig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through the pitching mechanism.

Fig. 8 is an outer perspective view of the pitching mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the pitchin mechanism as it appears whenremoved from its enclosure and from the game device.

Fig. 10 is a similar view of the batting mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section throng-lithe batting mechanism on theline 11- of Fig. 10.

2 Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view of the rods which connect the cookinglever with the p ttin gnd pitching mechanisms and particularly illustrating the connections whereby the mechanisms are simultaneously cocked asingle lever.

Referrin'gmore in detail to the drawings: L I A l designates aballgamedevice; embodying the features of the present invention and whichirrcludes a substantially rectangular playing field or site 2 formed ona board 3 that is supported by its marginal edges from a ledge 4providedon the inner side of a rectangular iramet The name 5 d s d i d:enejciedby ends 8 and 9 so as to form an enclosure for the variousactuatin i e' hanisms'; their operating levers and the interconnections,therebetweeh; haven e i mi s a an s i l ng rial support l0 whichei'ctends parallel withth'e side members 6 and lend providesa mountingfor a pitching mechanism li and a batting mechanism 12. The pitchingmechanism is best illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusiveand comprises aframe-like housing [3 having spaced side members l4 and I5 connected bya; top l6. The framelike housing I3 is attached to thelongitudinalsupport ID at a point spaced from the end mem bar 8' and at an anglewith respect to the board 3 to give an upward pitch to the ball when itis discharged therefrom as later described, the angle being adjusted bypivotally mounting the side member [4 on a fastening device I! andsecuring it in adjusted angular position by a fastening device I 8thatextends through anarcuate slot l9 therein as best shown in Fig. 7. Byloosening the fastening devices the name [3 may be" shifted to providethe required traverse of the ball in the direction of the battingmechanism.

, Oscillatably mounted between the side men. bers of the frame on across shaft is a 2| having its upper portionprojecting through an;opening 22 in the top l5 and fromwhich a lever or hammer 23 projects tocontact a ball ejecting p e 24 b y mounted. in a br :5 Qsi s the rearendo'f a ball ejecting barrel 25, which barrel is supportedat its rearend in a. bracket 21 thatis carriedon the side member M. The barrel 26is supported within an opening 28 of the bracket by a set screw 29 thatispassed through an opening 39 in the bracket and threaded into anopening 3! of the barrel and a" registering socket 32 in the closureblock as shown in Fig. '7.

Balls 33 to be projected are loaded into the barrel through a tubularmagazine 34 extending upwardly from an openingforme'd in the upperportion of the barrel. The, plunger 24 is normally retainedjn retractedpoisition byya coil torsion spring; 35 having one end fixed to thebracket 22; as indicated at 3B and which has its other end terminatingin a laterally extending arm 31 which 3 projects loosely through anopening 38 in the head 39 of the plunger 24. The disk is actuated in aclockwise direction to cause the hammer 23 to strike the plunger andeject a ball from the barrel by coil springs 40 having one end fixed tothe disk at a point ahead of and below the axial center of the disk asindicated at 4| and which have their opposite ends hooked into openingsprovided in a bracket 42 that is carried by the side wall I4 as bestshown in Figs. '7 ands.

The disk is retained in cocked condition against action of the springsby a pawl 43 that is pivoted on a screw 44 carried by the side member l4and which has a latch end 45 adapted to engage against the shoulder 46formed by a notch 41 provided in the periphery of the disk as shown inFig. 7. The opposite end of the pawl has a laterally extending aperturedear 48 passing a rod 49 which is reciprocably supported in an opening 50that is provided in the bracket 42. The pawl 43 is urged into latchedposition by a coil spring having one end engaging the bracket 42 and theopposite end engaging the ear 48 to retain the ear in contact with a nut52 on a threaded end of the rod as best shown in Fig. '7. The rod 49extends rearwardly from the bracket 42 and terminates in an eye 53 whichis engaged with a hooked end 54 of a tripping lever 55 that extendsrearwardly and connects with the tripping or actuating key of thetripping mechanism later described. The pawl is normally retained inposition to engage the shoulder 46 of the notch 41 when the disk isturned in counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 7 by means of acocking lever as now to be described.

The shaft 20 projects through the side member I5 and fixed thereto is anarm 56 that is pivotally connected as at 51 with an angle-shaped bracket58 that has one leg extending laterally and provided with an openingthrough which the threaded end of a cooking rod 59 is projected, thecocking rod being adjustably fixed to the bracket 58 or the bracket byjamb nuts 60 and 6| engaging the respective sides thereof.

The batting mechanism [2 is also attached to the longitudinal supportingmember of the pitching mechanism but is spaced inwardly from the rearmember 9 of the frame to accommodate the ball catching device 62 to belater described. The batting mechanism is best shown in Figs. and 11 andincludes a base frame 63 having spaced sides 64 and 65 connected by atop plate 66. The side 64 is attached to a lateral offset 6'! on thelongitudinal support I0 so that the bat 63 of the mechanism will be inline with the bail projected from the pitching mechanism. A bat 68 isadapted to swing transversely across the path of a pitched ball and in asubstantially perpendicular plane. The bat is, therefore, pivotallymounted on a post 69 that is adjustably threaded in a threaded opening10 of the top plate 66. The bat has a tail portion (I that extendsthrough a slotted end 12 of the post and is pivoted therein by afastening device such as a cotter pin 13 that extends throughregistering openings in the post and tail portion II of the bat as willbe well understood. The striking end of the bat is relatively wide,somewhat concave and has a mat 14 fixed to the concave face thereof,which controls the direction that the ball is driven when struck Withthe bat. The tail portion of the bat is pivotally connected by a cotterpin with the upper end of alink 16, which link extends downwardlythrough a slot H in the top 66 and pivotally connects as at 18 with anoscillatabledisk '4 19 similar to the disk previously described, thedisk 19 being mounted on a shaft 80 that extends across the base frame63 and has its ends suitably mounted in openings in the plates 64 and65.

The bat is supported in cocked position by a pawl 8| similar to the pawlpreviously described and which is pivotally mounted on a screw 82carried by the side plate 64. The pawl has a latch end 83 that engages ashoulder 84 formed by a notch 86 in'the periphery of the disk. Whencooked the disk is released in latching engagement with the pawl by acoil spring 88 that is connected with a screw 89 located in the face ofthe disk eccentrically of the shaft 80. The opposite end of the springis hooked to a bracket 99 similar to the bracket 42 previouslydescribed. The disk is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction to effectcocking thereof by an arm 9| and the arm is connected with a rod 92 inthe same manner as the rod 59 previously described. The pawl BI isshifted out of latching position to release the bat to the action 01'the spring 85 by means of a rod 93 similar to the rod 49. The rod 93 isreciprocably supported in an opening 94 of the bracket 90 and has athreaded end 95 extending through an opening 96 in a laterally extendingear 9'! on the tail portion of the pawl 8|. The threaded end of the rodcarries a nut 91 that engages against the rear face of the ear. The pawlis retained in latched position with the ear in contact with the nut bymeans of a coil spring 98 sleeved over the rod and having one endengaging the ear and the other end engaging the bracket 90 as best shownin Fig. 11.

The rod 93 extends rearwardly from the bracket 90 and terminates in aneye 99. The rods 59 Y pitching and batting mechanisms.

and 92 are guided in suitable openings in a plate I00 that extendslaterally from the longitudinal support as best shown in Fig. 2 and areactuated in a forward direction to simultaneously cook the This iseffected by a lever IOI which is pivotally mounted on a pivot I02 thatis carried on a bracket I03 that is mounted on the inner side of thefront frame member 8 as best shown in Fig. 4. The

- lever I0| includes an upwardly extending portion that projects througha suitable slot in the board 3 and carries a handle I04 by which thelever is rocked on its pivot. The lower end of the lever projectsdownwardly and pivotally connects with the laterally extending terminalsI05 and I06 of links I01 and I08 that extend forwardly and which areprovided with upwardly extending eyeshaped terminals I09 and 0 that passthe free ends of the rods 59 and 92 therethrough and which abut againstcoil springs III and H2 sleeved on the respective rods and which haveends abutting against collars H3 and H4 adjustably fixed to the rods byset screws H5 and H6 (Fig. 12). Thus, when the lever I 0| is movedretractively, the eyes I09 and M0 on the ends of the links I01 and I08are shifted on the terminal ends of the rods 59 and 92 and engage thesprings III and H2 whereupon the springs are compressed until suificientpower is provided to effect I forward shifting of the rods 59 and 92to'cause leave the endsof the springs III and II 2 so that the disksremain'in latched position and the disks are free to operatev whenreleased by their respective release mechanisms now to be described.

I20 and I2I designate keys reciprocably mounted in bearing openings I22and I23 in the top plate I24 of a housing I25, The housing also includesside walls [26,. I21, I28 and I29, the wall I29 being suitably attachedto the inner face of the frame member 8' at a point alongside of thebracket I03. Fixed to and. projecting from the inner face of the sidewalls I26 and I21 are cars I30 and I3I having openings coaxial with thebearing openings I22 and I23 to mount extended shanks I32 and I33 of thekeys. Mounted transversely of the housing in front of the plungers is ashaft I35 carrying rocker arms I40 and MI having lower ends I42 and I43piovtally connectedwith laterally extend terminals I45 and I40 on theshanks of the keys whereby downward movements of the keys effect rockingmovement of the levers. The keys are normally retained intheir upperposition by coil springs I41 and I48 sleeved over the shank extensionsand having ends engaging respectively against the ears I30 and I3I andagainst the keys as shown in Fig. i. The keys and shank extensions havesufiicient clearance in their hearing openings to accommodate forarcuate movement of the rocker arms. The upper ends I49. and I50pivotally connect lateral terminals I-I and I52 on the rod 55 and a rodI53 having a hooked nd I54 engaged with the eye 99 of the-rod 93.

The catching mechanism; 52. includes an open front housing I56-havingaconcave bottom I51, sides I58 and I50 converging toward. a rear wallIBEI and a top I6I. Extending across the front of the housing near thefront edge of the top is a rod I62 supporting: a frame I63 carrying anopenbottom fabric pocket or basket I64 that for-ms a backstop to checkthe speed of the balls and cause them to drop through a bottom openingI65 of the pocket into the concave bottom I51 for dischar e through anopening I66: The catching mechanism thus described is mounted over asuitable opening ll'l5l7h8&bQfl;11d-;3i The opening I63 is located overa chute I61 that. slops downwardly toward the frame member 8 where, itempties the balls into a drawer I'BB'th'at is slidably mounted over theend' ofthe chute and: is. adapted to be withdrawn through an opening I69in the membarb.

Located at various points on the playing field, for example inpositions-- relating to the playing positions in a-regulationba-ll game,are a plurality of U-shaped pockets I having opening sides I1I directedtoward the batting mechanism so that balls struck by the bat may rolltherethrough to signify a hit; for example, a one-base hit, two-basehit, three-base hit, or a home run.

Mounted at one corner of the playing field is a block I12 having rows ofopenings I13 and I14 for inserting pegs I and I16 to indicate the scoreas the game is being played. The opposite corner is also provided with asimilar block I11 having a single row of openings I18 for receiving apeg I19 indicating the innings played.

The pitching magazine 34 and barrel 26 may be enclosed in an open frontbox I80 and have an opening I8I in the top I82 thereof to expose theinlet to the magazine.

Assuming that the game is constructed and assembled as described, theplay is as follows:

The cooking lever IOI will be moved retractively on its pivot I02 toshift the lower end for- 6 wardly, thereby moving the rods I01 and.I00'so that the eye terminals I09 and III! thereof on gage the springsIII and H2 to shift the rods and 92 simultaneously in a forwarddirection.

- The rod 5-9 rocks the shaft 20 through the arm 56 to move the disk 2Iof .the pitching device in an anti-clockwise direction (Fig, '1) andload the springs 40, which are retained under load since the latch end45 of the pawl has dropped into the notch 41 and is engaged by theshoulder 46 when the disk tends to reverse rotation. The springs 40 arethus retained in stretched condition with the hammer 23 of the disk awayfrom the head 39 of the plunger 24.

The other rod '92 actuates the latch disk '19 in a similar manner so asto tension the spring 88 and effect engagement of the latch end 83 oithe pawl 8| with the shoulder 84. In this position the link 16 has moveddownwardly to raise" the bat 68 above the path ofa; ball to be ejectedfrom the pitching device.

A ball is then placed. in the magazine 34 and it rolls into engagementwith the'inner end of the plunger 2c. The player then depresses the keysI20 and I21 in such sequence to cause ejection of the ball and strikingof the bat with the ball. Upon pressing the key I-2I, the key rocks thelever I4 I and moves the rod retractively against action of the spring5I- toeffectdisengagement ofthe latch end of the pawl from the shoulder46 whereupon the springs 40 come into play. and

turn the disk in a clockwise direction to drive the hammer 23 intocontact with the head 3Q' of the plunger whereupon the plunger ejectsthe ball from the barrel 25 in the direction of the batting mechanism.

The bat is released when the key I20 is depressed which operates thelever I 42- and shifts the rod 153 rearwardly against action of thespring. 93 to release the latchv end 83 of 'the'pawl' 81. Upon releaseof the disk; the springiiil'turns' the disk 16 to raise the'li'nk 1'6anda'llow'thebat' to drop across the path of the ball; 11" the keys areoperated in proper sequence, the bat strikes the ball and the ball ispropelled across theplaying. field. Ii. the ball lodges in one otthep'ockets I10, the play is scored as a one-base'hit; two bas'e hit,three-base hit or-home run; depending upon-- which ofthe pockets theballenters. If the-hair fails to enter any one of thepockets-the-playisscored as an out.

Should the player failtooperate the keysin proper sequence to efiect'ahit and the lball passes the bat, theball is countedastr-ike. The ballis caught i'n-the basket I64--and is directed throug-h the openingI=-iritmtl'ie chute I GT." The ball then rolls down the chute to thedrawer I68. The drawer is opened and the ball removed for replacementinto the magazine tube 34 for another play. The keys are again operatedand the play continues until the player has had three outs.

The score and innings are kept by means of pegs and peg holes at thecorners of the playing field in accordance with the rules of the game.

From the foregoing it is obvious that we have provided a mechanicallyoperated ball game device that is of simple construction and which isoperated mechanically to give action and interest encountered inregulation games of baseball.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a ballpitching mechanism, a ball batting mechanism in the path of a ballejected by the pitching mechanism, cocking means for each mechanism, acommon actuator for said cocking means, and separate trip means forindependently releasing said mechanisms in variable sequence,

2. In a device of the character described, a spring-actuated ballpitching mechanism, a spring-actuated ball batting mechanism in the pathof a ball ejected by the pitching mechanism, latch means for eachmechanism for retaining said springs in loaded condition, cookingmechanisms for loading the springs of said mechanisms, a common actuatorconnected with the cocking mechanisms, and separate and independentmeans for releasing each latch means.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a ballpitching mechanism including means for containing a ball to be ejected,a plunger for ejecting the ball from said means, an oscillatory hammer,means for supporting the hammer in position to strike the plunger,spring means for actuating the hammer, manual means for moving saidhammer to cocked position and loading said spring, latch means forretaining the hammer in cocked position, a spring-actuated battingmechanism in the path of a ball ejected from said barrel, means forcooking said batting mechanism with the spring thereof in tension, acommon actuator for the cooking means and said hammer and spring loadingmeans, separate and independent means for releasing said latch means andfor releasing said spring of the batting mechanism.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, pitching and battingmechanisms, each including an oscillatably mounted member for effectingactuation of said mechanisms, springs for driving said members inactuating directions, a latch for each member for retaining the springsin loaded condition to actuate said members, a crank arm connected witheach member, a pivotally mounted cocking lever, links connected with thecooking lever, rods connected with said cranks, and lost motionresilient connections between the links and rods.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, pitching and battingmechanisms, each including an oscillatably mounted member for effectingactuation of said mechanisms, springs for driving said members inmechanism actuating directions, a latch for each member for retainingthe springs in loaded condition to actuate said members, a crank armconnected with each memher, a pivotally mounted cocking lever, linksconnected with the cocking lever, rods connected with said cranks, lostmotion resilient connections 8 between the links and rods, and separatemeans for independently releasing said latches.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, pitching and battingmechanisms, each including an oscillatably mounted member for effectingactuation of said mechanisms, a spring for energizing each of saidmembers, a latch for each member for retaining the springs in loadedcondition in retracted position of said members, crank arms connectedwith said members, a pivotally mounted cocking lever, links connectedwith the cooking lever, rods connected with said cranks, lost motionresilient connections between the links and rods, separate means forindependently releasing said latches, a spring tension key for releasingeach latch releasing means, a rock lever connectedwith each key, androds connecting the rock levers with said latches.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, pitching and battingmechanisms, each including an oscillatably mounted member for efiectingactuation of said mechanisms, springs for energizing said member, alatch for each member for retaining the springs in loaded condition,crank arms connected with said members, a pivotally mounted cockinglever, links connected with the cooking lever and having spring engagingterminals, rods connected with said cranks, springs on said rods, meansfor anchoring the end of said springs to the rods in the direction ofsaid crank arms for retaining the other ends of the springs in positionfor engagement by said terminals, separate means for independentlyreleasing said latches, a spring tension key for releasing each latch, arock lever connected with each key, and rods connecting the rock leverswith said latches.

IRVIN N. JACOBS. HERBERT C. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 861,843 Heitmann July 30, 19071,102,948 Norton July 7, 1914 1,107,776 Gadbois Aug. 18, 1914 1,168,829Sheppard Jan. 18, 1916 1,595,185 Granger et a1 Aug. 10, 1926 1,793,969Simmons Feb. 24, 1931 1,988,191 Donato Jan. 15, 1935

